American High School follows a charismatic principal and his students over the course of one school year and through their eyes we witness life-changing moments. In the US, life chances for students who graduate high school are often starkly different to those who don’t, a disparity even more marked for African-American pupils.

With the odds often stacked against them we follow the class of 2016 over this, their make-or-break year.

We experience their highs and their lows as they prepare for life after high school. We meet Ivy League hopefuls, male cheerleaders and young mothers on a tough journey into adulthood. This is school as you’ve never seen it before and a unique insight into how it really feels to be young and black in America today.

Meanwhile, high-achieving pupil Jalena begins college applications, but with college fees costing more than a house, will she even be able to afford to go? Male cheerleader Vernon, and star football player Kordel, each prepare for the big Friday night football game. Can a win for the school help to get Dr Peters’ ambitions back on track?

Producer/Director: Marcus Plowright
Executive Producers: Joe Evans and Neil Crombie
Production Company: Swan Films
Composer: Alexander Parsons

TX Date: 18th October 2016
BBC1: February 2017
National Geographic (US): 26th September 2017

“Every participant is treated with careful, considered respect… This is helped by Alexander Parsons’ impressive score, mixing tinges of the music the kids listen to with his own emotive arrangements. Six episodes of hope, just when it’s needed”.

Julia Reside (on American High School), The Guardian, 11th November 2016

When I Worry About Things is an RTS-winning series of animated documentaries for the BBC exploring the experiences of six children who suffer from mental ill health. Each of these five films tells the unique story of what its like to live with a mental health problem and how this can impact a young person’s life. The films provide a way to begin to understand some of the challenges that living with mental health presents with, especially from a young person’s perspective. Aimed at children at KS2, the goal is to shine a light on an age group who are increasingly vulnerable to mental health difficulties, and yet often lack the knowledge or resources to know how to seek help and support.

Commissioned by BBC Teach, the series of films can be seen here.

Executive Producer and Director: Andy Glynne
Producer: Anita Norfolk
Animation Director: Liam O’Connor
Animation Produced by: Picnic Studios